The Night Furys from Norfolk
by sagemanexp
Summary: (Re-written) Modern transformation where two friends are turned into dragons. It comes, Seemingly out of nowhere. What does it want with them. And why does it want the two friends to be Night Furys. Story will eventually link up with the cannon.
1. The beast outside

**_A/N This is the first story of any type I have written since leaving school (however long ago that was.)  
And my first piece of fan fiction. So constructive reviews of any type are much appreciated  
I know my grammar isn't perfect but is the best I can personally manage, hopefully it is good enough as not to 'get in the way' too much.  
Small word of warning, this chapter may be a little bit dull for some peoples taste but I felt I needed to lay down some ground-works now otherwise the rest wouldn't make sense.  
The final few paragraphs and chapter 2 is where it gets exciting so if you like you can jump to them to get a fair view of what my story will be like_**

 ** _thank you_**

 **The beast outside.**

It was an unusually warm, dry day for October, a thick blanket of white cloud covered the sky. it was calm too. Bruce sleepily dragged himself downstairs rubbing the sleep from his light blue eyes, then pulled a short, stray blonde hair of his out of one of them. he was unremarkable to look at, slightly shorter than most people he knew but not the shortest. he wasn't particularly strong, despite being a builders labour for a job. But he was by no means weak. just average and slim.

He was 21, and until he had several seizures completely out of the blue over a year ago. driving was his passion and life, it was what got him up in the mornings, what motivated him and where most of his wages went too.  
Since having the seizures though, all of this had gone. His licence had been taken away due to the seizures. His mechanical engineer apprenticeship went too, as there wasn't any public transport going to the village he worked at to allow him to get there in time in the mornings.  
He was now labouring for an angry aggressive builder a 10 minute bicycle ride up the road from where he lived. Not something he wanted to be doing.

He was living in his own version of hell, and was miserable. Problems at home involving his stepfather essentially meant it didn't feel like a home. He couldn't move out he wasn't even earning close to enough to even rent somewhere. He was trapped. it was like a prison cell, he knew his licence was the key to his cell, everything could get better once he could find a decent job. But he was unlikely to get one unless he could drive. But the envelope containing his licence was taking far longer than the year long suspension to get to him.

He walked across the hallway into the kitchen, opposite the stairs and switched the kettle on to make a cup of tea. He then opened the kitchen blinds, that's when he saw the postman walking up his driveway carrying an A4 sized brown envelope, along with several letters. Could it finally be his licence, he hoped so.  
He rushed down the hallway to the front door quickly unlocking it and taking the letters and the envelope off the postman, before he had time to put them through the door. With a friendly cheers to the postman Bruce shut the door.

Walking past the kitchen, and the stares that were placed opposite them. Bruce walked into the dining room that was at the end of the hallway. He then put the letters on the dining table set to the back of the house, and fully opened the patio door, just to the right of the table to let the fresh Norfolk countryside air flow in. He then went back round the table to the back left of the room, and through a tight 90 degree right hand corridor, and into the extended flat roofed living room. He then opened that patio door too for the same reason. Then he went back into the kitchen made his cup of tea and put it down on the table to sort out the letters.

There were 5 of them today, the first few being for his parents, who were on holiday at the moment. The last two were addressed to him. He opened the letter first not wanting to get excited about the large brown one, but wanting to leave the best to last anyway.  
The letter as he suspected was just a bank statement, Bruce read it quickly, checking there wasn't any activity that shouldn't have been there. There wasn't so he went onto the brown envelope. On the back it said "return to DVLA Swansea", Bruce smiled, and chuckled slightly to himself . It was certainly the right people who sent it, but was it what he was hoping for, or did it contain bad news he opened it...

There it was staring back at him was his photo-card, he didn't need to look at the paperwork to know he had his licence back. His key to his cell door was finally in his hands after 17 months of misery.  
He got his phone out of his pocket and rang his closest friend, Lucas who lived just round the corner. (Literally, they once made a tin can telephone from each of their bedroom windows when they were 7.)

"Hello Bruce", Lucas answered flatly as he picked up the phone.  
"Hello mate" replied Bruce cheerily "what are ya up to today".  
"Not a lot really you."  
"Not particularly, but my parents are away on holiday for the week as you know, so I've got a free house. want to come over sometime today."  
"Yeh maybe later" Lucas replied.  
"Oh and one other thing Lucas, guess what just come through the post."  
 _"_ _ **Your licence**_ , _no way_ mate _good for you_." Lucas almost shouted.  
"Yeh I know Bruce replied, smiling. If you want to come round now-ish, I just need to tax and insure the shogun and we can go for a drive."  
"Ok mate, will be 10 munities Lucas replied, himself smiling for his friend."  
"alright don't worry about knocking, just walk in." Bruce finished.

Bruce put his phone down, got up from the table, and walked over to the 400 year old oak table they used as the computer desk in the left corner of the room. Just next to the living room entrance. He turned on the computer.  
The tables massive planks of wood that made up the top were far to uneven to have dinner on, many glasses of drink were spilt until they got the cheap, flimsy (but flat) pine one that now sat to the back wall of the house. Ready to be pulled out at dinner.

Half an hour later Lucas walked in running a hand through his short brown hair as he did so, he was a little taller than Bruce but stockier due to being a minor user of weights, and general fitness training whereas Bruce did not.  
Bruce was turning off the computer, having taxed and insured the shogun, and made sure the M.O.T was still valid too.

"Ahh your finally here then Lucas," Bruce said heartily to him as walked over to the old table.  
"yeh I was still in bed when you called."  
Bruce laughed, "you should change your name to Lucas electrical, you're about as reliable as most of the stuff they made" he quipped.  
"Ahhh one day, one day" Lucas joked back. "Anyway should we go."  
"Yep in a minute mate, I haven't eaten yet so will just make a few rounds of toast them we will be off."

Bruce stood up from the computer table, and as he was pushing the chair back in they heard 2 very loud bangs that Bruce recognised as something hitting the roof, of the flat roofed living room. These thumps however were much louder than one of next doors footballs bouncing on it, MUCH louder.

What on...Lucas never finished his sentence, as whatever had made the noise had jumped off the roof and onto the patio, and leaped through the open patio door, that it was hardly big enough to fit through. Sending one of the dining chairs flying down the hallway to the front door in the process, It then went round the table to face the terrified friends who were now leaning against the computer table, unable to move, out of unbridled terror.

And there it stopped this massive black creature mouth closed teeth bared slit eyed growling leaning backwards ready to pounce...

 **A/N There you go, just in time for Christmas morning. (For half of the world anyway.) Be sure to let me know what you think in the reviews.  
Thank you.**


	2. The world turned upside down

**The world turned upside down.**

Instantly, Bruce and Lucas's mouths dried up until it felt like there was no more moisture to be taken away. Their knees almost buckled as all available blood rocketed to their brains. Their heart rate tripled in a matter of seconds. Their pupils in their eyes dilated to such an extent that their iris's became almost nonexistent.

They stared at the never moving, constantly growling beast for what seemed to them like an eternity. Its massive claws started to sink into pinewood floor

"wh... wh... what is it" Lucas stammered his dry, cracking voice barely audible. Even if they were in a silent room, let alone in a room with the beasts threatening growls.

Both knew what the only answer could be. But they didn't quite believe it themselves. No land animal could be mistaken for what threatenly stared into them with its knife thin pupils.  
"I think there's only one thing it can be" Bruce cracked, his own voice the same volume as his friends. "I haven't got a clue how or why or... or...or I- I don't know mate but it can only be... _a dragon_ ".  
Lucas hummed in agreement.

By now the chemicals realised by the human body in threatening situations had taken fully hold.

"What do we do" cracked Lucas, again his voice hardy a whisper.  
Bruce looked up in thought at the 1970's artexed ceiling in the dining room for a moment. Then slowly lowered himself down onto his haunches and faced right hand side towards the dragon.

Both Bruce and Lucas had grown up around dogs, cats and other pets their whole lives. This stance Bruce was taking would hopefully make him look smaller and less threatening to the dragon, something both friends had used when approaching animals unfamiliar to them.  
Especially nervous animals.  
Lucas knew what Bruce was doing and adopted the same stance, but facing Bruce. But didn't move when Bruce started to edge, very, very slowly around the wall to the doorway that lead to the hallway which the dragon was standing almost directly beside.

The dragon started following Bruce's movement with its head, Bruce looking down only keeping the dragon in his peripheral vision and not looking directly at it, another attempt to look less threatening to the dragon.  
When he was about halfway between the oak table and the doorway he saw something, it was only for a split second. The dragons eyes stopped being angry slits and dilated, very slightly, just a twitch but then instantly turned into those terrifying slits again.

It was at this moment Bruce noticed that Lucas had started to try the same escape tactic, trying to go into the living room instead of following Bruce. The dragon clearly didn't like this, and bared his teeth a bit more by opening its mouth and increased the volume of its growl significantly. The friends got the message, and staying on their haunches quickly scurried back to their original positions in front of the old oak table looking at each other in terror.

The dragon returned its growl to its previous volume and closed it mouth keeping its teeth bared.

The friends both looked the same, eyes bloodshot presumably from the high pressure blood shooting through their veins, from their rapidly drumming hearts. Sweat was pouring down their faces like they had just ran a marathon They were trembling and shaking like they were out in the middle of winter, with just a t-shirt on. They looked back at the dragon speechless of what to do next after their failed escape.

It was then a crazy thought came to Bruce's mind  
This dragons growl wasn't as loud as you would expect no louder that an angry dog. The Nabors likely wouldn't even be able to hear it, and it sounded very similar to a dog too. Needless to say he had heard dogs growl many times in his relatively short life.  
This dragon hadn't roared either, he had never heard an animal of any kind roar, or not in person anyway.  
And of Corse dragons simply didn't exist if they did the scientists and explorers of the world would have found them by now. Bruce put the dots together in his mind and realised he must be in the middle of a very vivid dream. something he often got.

Bruce then started smiling and gently cleared his throat.  
Before Lucas could respond to his strange behaviour Bruce, his voice still cracking from the dryness. Started to quietly sing. Something he often did in the strangest of times often when someone said a line for a song he knew well sometimes when he was in a situation that was similar to. or reminded him of a song

 _Through eating too much supper  
before I went to bed.  
Strange thoughts came on my slumber  
strange thoughts came in my head._

 _This world seemed topsey turvy  
and people of renown.  
Were doing the most peculiar things  
as the world turned upside-down._

 _I dreamt that there were dragons  
and they often killed us.  
They broke into our properties  
and they left no living there._

 _all noblemen of England  
they helped the crippled poor.  
But men they had small families  
as the dragons ripped them apart._

"WHAT was that and WHY?" Lucas quietly growled.  
"Chumbawamba, world turned upside down, I just changed the words a bit due to the fact were looking at a dragon". Bruce answered in a calm, matter of fact way. Smirking a little bit as he did so.  
"Yeh but why" retaliated Lucas, still not going much over a whisper but his voice laced with confusion and anger he was wondering what had suddenly come over his friend, and why he had suddenly calmed down in front of this terrifying thing that crouched in front of them.

"Well we... or...me, I should say are clearly in a dream" Bruce replied.  
"For a start it hasn't eaten us yet when it could have easily done so already".  
Now that Bruce had starting to calm down a bit his heart didn't feel like it was about to burst through his chest, although it was still beating rapidly. And he was starting to shake less than he was a few minutes ago. His mouth was also starting to moisten up again.  
"What makes you think that" Lucas growled.  
"For a start it hasn't gone into a rage and started roaring because neither of us have ever experienced such a thing".

It was then Lucas realised the dragon had relaxed somewhat, no longer baring it teeth. And its eyes had defiantly dilated a small amount. At this moment it stopped growling altogether.

"Do you see that Lucas its calming down now, this must be a dream. Its doing what I'm saying. Calming down".  
"I'm not so sure" replied Lucas, after clearing his throat. And now starting to talk slightly louder seeing as the singing had no effect, and the fact that Buce was talking louder anyway, without making a differance.  
"I'm going to stroke it"  
"don't be so stupid" Lucas protested.  
"It will be ok" Bruce replied "look its calming down now, and anyway if it tries to eat us...we... or... me or whatever, I will just wake up I'm dreaming I'm sure of it".  
"I'm not so sure" Lucas protested again "I know we're looking at the imposable but this don't feel like a dream to me.

Still sitting on his haunches Bruce ignored him. Facing side on to the dragon, he started to shuffle towards it, looking at the ground as before.  
After his second shuffle the dragon started growling again, fear started to fill Lucas again but didn't bother Bruce, who was convinced he was in a dream.

Closer and closer, inch by inch, Bruce shuffled to the dragon. The dragon was baring its teeth again now. Its eyes returning to the knife-edged slits they were when it first entered the house. And it was leaning its head down at the same level as Bruce's.

Bruce kept on slowly shuffling towards the dragon, still keeping his head down. But now looking directly at the dragon.  
He shuffled over until he was just an arm's length away close enough to reach and touch the beast. He started to move his hand toward the dragons chin, thinking it would seem less threatening if the dragon could quickly bite his arm off.  
Slowly, slowly he reached over the dragons chin. The dragons growls increased dramatically as he did so. and it pulled its head away as far as it could from Bruce's outstretched hand, but didn't step backwards.

Lucas was sure this was somehow happening in real life. He knew Bruce often had very vivid dreams that he could control himself, he mentioned them quite often. so understood why his friend thought that this was a dream in this imposable situation they were in. But Lucas's dreams were almost always in black and white, or blurry. And simply were never vivid.  
He wanted to shout to Bruce to stop, but didn't want to anger the dragon.

Bruce quickly pulled his hand away and racked his brain for a way to get the dragons trust.

He considered taking his eyes off the dragon, and looking down. He knew it would be very risky not being able to see what the dragon was doing, but decided to try it anyway.

So he made an exaggerated effort to look directly down, closed his eyes and slowly reached out his hand.

The dragon moved its head towards Bruce.

Bruce's fingertips lightly touched the dragons chin, it was very warm to the touch. The dragon stopped its growling and stopped baring its teeth. Bruce took another small shuffle towards the dragon, so he could get his whole hand on the dragon, slowly curling his fingers up a small amount and straightening them again in a gentle scratching action.

It was at this point he decided to look up. He could see the thick, fireproof, leather like skin and the randomly placed scales, presumably only in certain places to protect those bits further.

He wondered what the purpose of the small ridges that ran along the dragons snout were for, he could see closely now the huge muscles under the dragons skin that powered its wings as the dragon moved them slightly. This was when he started to think otherwise about his idea that he was in a dream, he had never seen detail like this in dreams and from what he could remember the whole day so far seemed kind of long for a dream. He pushed this aside however telling himself again the reasons he originally came to that conclusion.

The two sat like this for some minuets, Bruce glanced over at Lucas who just sat there astonished.  
The dragons massive eyes slowly dilated once more. its ears and frills slowly starting to down. But not by much, there was clearly still anger in its heart, but it was the calmest it had been yet.

Bruce looked over at Lucas who had visibly stopped shaking now but was clearly still terrified.  
Using his eyes, Bruce gestured for Lucas to come over.

after a minute of hesitation, and some more ushering from Bruce. Lucas, who was still on his haunches slowly made his way over to the dragon, taking care not to fall over and scare it. Bruce slowly made his way round to the dragons left jaw, and started caressing that aria to give Lucas some room.

After his forth shuffle forward the dragon again tensed up, and started growling again opening up its mouth to bare its teeth at Lucas.  
Bruce started to make shhh-ing noises in an attempt to calm the dragon back down.  
After seeing what his friend had done and knowing there was a possibility it had no nasty side effect he carried on his slow journey to the dragons head.

Once he had started gently stroking its chin with his whole hand like Bruce had done the dragon started calming down again.  
The friends looking at each other in amazement.

The dragon was entirely black it had a patches of lighter black colorations and the various, seemingly random scales were sometimes a slightly lighter or darker black. The many scars that covered its body were also lighter. It had 2 very large ears, almost the length of a humans forearm but also had other strange attachments to the back of its head.  
Its wings and tail fins however were different, these were made of fairly thin skin no randomly placed scales on these except for the front or leading edge of the wings. These were made of the same thick leathery skin that covered the rest of the dragon. And were presumably for protection.

Lucas looked over at his friend. Then, voice still quiet and dry asked what on earth was going on.  
Bruce glanced at him and silently shrugged his mind deep in thought.  
Then, whispering as not to disturb the dragon. Said "I wonder how you would go about breaking a dragon"  
"What do you mean break it" whispered Lucas.  
"You know, break it in like a horse so you can ride it, I think it would be pretty cool to be able to ride a dragon about."  
"No don't you dare do something so stupid as to jump on its back."

It was at this point the dragon slowly stood up to its full height, the friends got up off their haunches, relived that they could do so as their legs were almost on fire after sitting in such a position for so long. Both stumbled slightly as they stood up.  
With its back and head level, its head was about the same height as the humans heads, Who continued to gently scratch the dragons chin.

Suddenly, to Bruce and Lucas's terror, Its eyes changed back to those horrifying slits.

The friends let their hands drop limply to their sides and looked at each other in horror.  
Then the dragon roared an ear splitting, earth shattering roar. The friends pupils returned to those saucers with the fear and adrenalin that had started to Corse their veins again.  
The friends were frozen to the spot both wanting to run but neither could.  
The dragon thrust its head forwards, getting within inches of their faces, and let out another ear splitting roar.  
They tried to run, tried to turn, tried to move their legs, their arms, anything but couldn't.  
Bruce then noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

In the small passageway, leading to the living room was another, identical dragon. It was leaning on its side to get round the tight right angles that was the passageway. Lucas seeing Bruce's eyes change focus on something behind him, somehow managed to look around.  
He wished he hadn't. The dragon had its mouth partially open. But for some reason this one didn't have teeth, just gums.  
They didn't notice at first, but its mouth was glowing blue, getting brighter and brighter by the second.

Over several seconds the blue glow in the dragons mouth continued to get brighter and brighter, as the friends watched on unable to do anything.

The second dragon pulsed its blue glow towards the humans, it looked like a ball of pure energy that transformed into a dome shape as it went.

The dome of energy smashed into the two friends.  
The room lit up like the sun, in a blinding blue flash. Followed by an explosion.  
The shockwave threw the pine dining table across the room and smashed it into splinters as it went.  
The pine flooring was ripped up where the humans were standing, leaving a small circle of undamaged wood where the two humans were laying. For 3 feet outwards from that is where the flooring was ripped out leaving a small crater in the concrete underneath.  
All of the glass in the doors and windows was blown out. The paperwork lying in various places around the room, vaporised with the heat.  
The computer was smashed against the wall it sat close to. The shockwave from the blast bending the case almost flat. The heavy oak table it sat on however simply shrugged off the attack only getting slightly burnt.

the 2 dragons thick skin shrugged off most of the splinters and attacks from the various items that were thrown about the room, bouncing off the walls and flying back at them. Leaving only small scratches and scrapes that would quickly heal.

Just as the second dragons blast had hit the 2 humans. The first dragon had flung itself onto them, shielding them from the flying debris with its body and wings, crouching down very low almost laying on them.  
It heard the snapping and cracking of new bones forming and old ones breaking and changing shape. It heard ripping and tearing noises as skin stretched and reformed. Some noises were unrecognizable, such as new muscles forming and old ones resized and changed density to perform new roles, and to fit the new shapes of Lucas and Bruce.

The two humans knew nothing of this. They had passed out the second the energy dome had touched them.

The 2 dragons had tightly closed their eyes to stop anything puncturing their relatively thin eyelids. The second dragons wings were pressed tightly against its body, the thick leather like leading edge protecting the fragile skin that made up the rest of the wings.  
It too was lying, hunched up on the ground.  
Their tails were hidden under their bodies, again fins tightly closed to protect them.

The second the two dragons heard there was no longer anything flying about the room they opened their eyes. The room was quickly filling with smoke from burning paperwork books and curtains. The artex ceiling had smashed, covering everything including the 2 dragons in asbestos filled dust. turning them white.  
"Good" the two larger dragons thought to themselves knowing it will let them blend in against the white clouds that hung in the sky. They both bundled the two newly made dragons into a net the second dragon had taken along looked at each other and made their quick escape.

The 2 friends knew nothing of this of Course, the last thing they saw was the blinding blue flash from the second dragon.

 **A/N just to say to readers outside the UK most houses built here especially before the 1990's are entirely brick built, including interior walls. Hence they weren't affected by the blast as would have happened with houses of wooden construction.**

 **As was said in the chapter, the song is 'world turned upside down' by Chumbawamba (famous for their song tubthumping) with a few lyrics changed.**


	3. A fine city riddled with tunnels

**A/N feel free to review please. Constructive criticism is very much welcome.  
Thank you **

**A fine city riddled with tunnels.**

 _The bedrock of Norfolk and Suffolk is made of chalk which has many uses, including making quicklime to spread on fields which neutralises the acidity of the soil.  
Another use is as a mortar for laying bricks, used for hundreds of years before cement came about.  
Since about the 10th century Norwich, along with a lot of Norfolk and Suffolk, Has been mined for its chalk. (For years before it was just 'quarried'.)Riddling the fine city with tunnels. The last mine closed down just before the outbreak of ww2, but many were closed down long before, their entrances getting lost to time. Now there's only 3 you can get in. the rest have had their entrances backfilled or are still not know about  
'Officially' sealed and inaccessible, their whereabouts are kept hush hush by those 'in the know' and not many people know the exact location of the entrances._

 _Bruce and Lucas were 2 people who did, they had been down 2 of them countless times. And the 3rd one once. As the council sealed it off with a steel cage before another visit could be made_

o0o

Lucas started to wake up, he felt dreadful. He had been hung over before but this was on a different planet. Every joint, every muscle screamed out in agony his mouth had never been drier and he had the worst headache that he had ever experienced.  
He felt awkward, his arms and legs felt like they were splayed out in strange positions, his head likewise. And he was sure he had his back against something hard which was sticking right into his back and coccyx, making the whole area radiate with pain and discomfort.

He started to wonder what he had done whilst out drinking.

He couldn't see any light coming through his eyelids, so he knew it was still dark.  
He furrowed his brow in frustration and pain.  
A big mistake, a bolt of pain shot through his entire head.

He laid as still as he could for a few minutes, until the pain in his head subsided somewhat.

Memory's from the night before started to come back..."But no, hang on it wasn't night" Lucas thought to himself.  
He remembered just finishing off an argument with his girlfriend over the phone when Bruce rang, saying he had gotten his licence back.  
He remembered going round soon after  
then a dragon...no two dragons had appeared out of nowhere before attacking them both with its strange blue fire.  
"WHAT ON EARTH DID I DRINK LAST NIGHT, none of that could of happened...could it"? He questioned himself.

He decided to open his eyes knowing it would probably be painful since even furrowing his brow hurt.  
But he wanted to know where he was. Slowly he opened them and took a quick painful look around. Even moving his eyes about hurt so he quickly let his eyelids close again.  
Wherever he was it was inside as it was pitch black, not just dark like it would be if he was sleeping outside on the path. He had to steady his breathing from the pain of doing the simple task.

That's when he realised he was most likely at home, most likely sleeping on the hard kitchen tiles.

At this point he started to notice the smell, it wasn't particularly bad or unpleasant like vomit, just strong, but he recognised it. Although he couldn't place where he had smelt it before but it was defiantly familiar. And it defiantly wasn't home he started to worry slightly worry about that.

He quickly grew too tired to continue thinking what had happened and where he was, knowing it was still night and he wasn't cold or wet, so was likely somewhere safe. And with his head swimming and thumping with the effects of what he thought was alcohol, he decided to just let the alcohol take him back into a deep slumber.  
It took no longer than a minute for him to pass out again.

0o0

Many hours later Bruce started to stir. Like Lucas, every joint and muscle hurt. His back and coccyx area felt the same as his friends his head, like Lucas's felt like it was about to explode.

He also came to Lucas's conclusion that he was drunk, and had passed out somewhere.  
But Bruce came to the conclusion that he had badly fallen over causing all this pain he was in. And was lying on the hard floor that made up most of the downstairs of the house he lived in.  
He probably had just made it through the front door before collapsing,  
or was possibly sleeping outside on one of the pathways around the small village he lived in.  
Or perhaps he was on the field that was next to his house.  
He had woken up in all these places more times than he should have done and it wouldn't be a surprised if it happened again.

But then, like his friend he started to remember that mornings events. The last thing being that strange blue flash of light that came from the second dragon. He furrowed his brow at the strange memory.  
Due to natures strange ways this hardly hurt Bruce, and nor did it hurt much when he opened his eyes to see where he was.  
He couldn't see a thing it was pitch black.  
As opening his eyes was nowhere near as painful as it had been for Lucas, Bruce didn't know his next move would be incredibly painful.

He tried to move into a more comfortable position.  
He didn't get very far before letting out an aaaaahhhhhhh of agony...Except the noise that left his mouth wasn't a human scream...But a dragons roar.

"WHAT ON EARTH" he roared, faltering as he realised it was him making the noise.  
He squeezed his eyes shut from the pain of moving.

"Is that you Bruce" Lucas asked quietly and painfully, making a low warbling moaning sound similar to the sound a dog makes when it 'talks'. Except to the two humans-turned-dragons the frequency changed extremely rapidly, far too quickly for useless human ears to pick up on. But to the sensitive dragon ears, it was obvious.

Both friends' hearts almost stopped.  
What came through their ears was the low warbling of Lucas, but their brains were somehow turning that warble into normal human speech. And even stranger to both friends, was the fact that Lucas's question still sounded like his human voice in their heads, even though through their ears all they could hear was this strange warbling noise.

Yeh...it's me Bruce replied slowly and shakily a dazed tone to his voice. Again all that came out was the strange moaning that came out of Lucas's mouth a few seconds earlier.

They both laid there in silence for a good 10 minutes, dazed and astonished at what was going on trying desperately to think of a reasonable explanation for this unexplainable situation they were in.  
They had woke up a little now and both had realised they weren't drunk at all. And all they could think about was the strange memory that was burned into their minds. Those black as black dragons, the glowing blue mouth of the second one and then the flash of blue light that followed.

Bruce broke the silence  
"Lucas, all I can remember are a couple of dragons coming into my dining room, we went and touched one of them then the other started to glow blue. Then a bright blue flash, then I wake up here. Wherever we are. I can't remember anything else am...am I going mad." His voice was devoid of expression his mind too deep in thort to add any.  
"Exactly the same mate." Lucas replied himself sounding just as dazed as Bruce.

They both sat there in silence again resigning themselves to their own thorts until they fell asleep again.

The friends were woken up a day later by one of the dragons gently warbling "humans wake up, you need to eat and drink. You've both been asleep for over 4 days."  
Again all Lucas and Bruce heard was the warbling moaning that came out of the dragon's mouth, but somehow their brains translated the noises into perfectly understandable English.  
They were just beginning to stir when from behind their eyelids they saw another blue flash, followed by a yellowy light coming from directly in front of them.

They both snapped their eyes open to a small pile of wood that had been set alight by the dragon that stood close to their heads.

They looked at each other.  
They both took a short sharp intake of breath at what they both secretly feared had happened.  
They weren't much bigger in size than when they were human, but looked exactly like small versions of the dragon that stood close to them.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO US" Bruce roared. Adrenalin starting to race through his body.  
"I've transformed you into dragons" the dragon replied calmly.  
"WHAT...WHY" Bruce roared again. He had forgotten how much moving hurt and was in a lot of pain, but the adrenalin had now started to take most of the edge off it.  
"Please stay calm; you will only make everything worse" the dragon replied, again calmly.  
"I've transformed you because that's what the prophecy foretold... it was meant to be."

The 2 friends just laid there looking at each other. They didn't know what to say to that, they weren't religious and didn't believe a word of it.  
They wanted to get up and fight this dragon but were in too much pain to do so, they wanted a proper explanation they wanted an argument but knew they couldn't possibly do so with the pain that coursed its way through every fibre of their body's. So they just laid there taking it all in trying to think what this dragon and 'life force' wanted with them.

They slowly took in what each other and themselves looked like now.  
Adrenaline pumping through both of their body's taking the edge off the pain so they could do so.  
Just like the dragon that stood close to them their skin was thick and leathery with large scales placed in roughly the same places as the dragon standing close to them. They both had wings which they guessed was why they had such pain along their backs.  
And where their wings ended a long black tail protruded out from exactly where the pain in their coccyx originated from.

After about 10 minutes the two friends closed their eyes, the adrenalin had started to wear off now and the pain was getting to them.

The dragon had been standing there all the while patiently waiting; it cleared the silence and started speaking in the same calm voice.  
"I know you both hate me at the moment; you have no trust in me, and have a head full of questions to ask this is totally understandable. But your bodies have gone through a great shock and you must eat and drink to build your strength. Now you're awake I will go and get you something.  
The friends opened their eyes again, and stared scornfully at the dragon as it went off to get their food and water.

"Well what now" Lucas mumbled as not to move his mouth around too much. But a dragonesque groan coming from his mouth.  
After a short pause Bruce replied, mumbling for the same reason his friend.  
"We wait mate, it's not like we have much of a choice, and we can hardly move let alone run. We don't know what will happen if we go out on the street, how will other people react. And science can't make us human again only those dragons,  
"I feared you would say that. But you've always got a plan, are you sure that's the only thing we can do."  
"That is my plan" Bruce interjected "gain their trust, listen to what they have to say, and go from there it's our only option mate. We can't do anything else. We shouldn't trust their reasoning but I think we would be stupid to ignore advice like eating and well...possibly flying which looking on the bright side might be fun."  
Lucas pushed a few puffs of air out of his nose in a polite chuckle; Bruce always could see the bright side of a bad situation.

Silence again fell upon the two friends while they let the pain in their jaws and throats subside. Closing their eyes for the same reason.

"Where do you think we are anyway" Lucas asked.  
"chalk mine I should think, cant you smell it let alone see it" both friends were hardy audible they were speaking (or groaning) so quietly.  
"I did wonder that to be fair. Which one though, I don't think I recognise it."  
"Well unless the dragons carried us to all the way to Bury, where the next closest ones are.  
 **(Bury St Edmunds, pronounced berry)**  
I should think Norwich."  
"Are you sure, I don't recognise it. I don't remember there being one this big it's much wider and taller than the others."

"I should think it's the Newmarket road one, we only got down there once before it got gated if you remember."  
"Ahhh Yeh good point" replied Lucas "I forgot about that one yeh I think you're right."

Again they sat in silence for a few minutes before Bruce started to murmur to Lucas.  
"I'm so sorry mate."  
"For what" Lucas replied.  
"Well, if I had behaved different around that dragon, and not tried to touch it" he paused for a second. "Well maybe it wouldn't have done this to us." He finished, sadly.

At this moment the dragon rounded the corner into the little alcove that the friends were laying in. It was carrying an old tin bucket of fresh fish in its mouth, and 2 tin dustbin lids were balanced on its head.  
It was followed by the second dragon also with a bucket in its mouth although this was filled with clear water.  
The second dragon put down its bucket, and took the dustbin lids off the first dragons head so it could put down its bucket.

Bruce and Lucas's hearts began to pick up again pumping more adrenaline into their systems.

"No" the first dragon said, firmly but with just as much calmness he had spoken in before.  
"Your actions were as the life force foretold. You showed bravery where others wouldn't have had any, and you didn't quickly attack me like others would have, that shows courage and cleverness where many wouldn't have had.  
If either of you two would have done anything different I would have killed you both on the spot."  
The friends stared at each other wide-eyed at this revelation.

Bruce looked at the first dragon, which he could see was dotted with scars from his head to his tail and so was clearly older. Whereas the second dragon seemed to be completely clear of such damage.  
Still mumbling Bruce said "But the only reason I came up to you was I thought you were a dream...a figment of my imagination."  
"But how much did you believe that yourself" the dragon retaliated calmly. "And how much were you just trying to take control of the situation, and keep both yourself, and your friend from panicking.  
And you (looking at Lucas.) You hardly believed that it was a dream at all, did you. And yet you still came over to me. I apologise for terrifying the both of you, but I had to be sure you were the right humans. And I could only do that by doing what the life force told me to do.  
 _Only_ you two would have had those reactions when faced with us.

"Anyway" the dragon continued seeming to lighten up a bit "I should stop calling you humans, as you're not anymore. You still have the memories from when you were humans, and have the same personalities, but that's all nothing else is shared with what you were. And what you are now.  
You will be able to shoot fire at other dragons for protection and self defence and at food to kill you will be able to fly through the night sky faster than any other dragon there is"

Lucas stared at the dragon.  
Again mumbling in an attempt to cause himself less pain he said sarcastically  
"well doesn't that make me feel a lot better." turning angry he carried on.  
"what do you want with us why us..."  
still being calm the clearly older scarred dragon cut Lucas off mid sentence.  
"Well as I've said, it was the life force who told me how to find you. I don't know why it chose you or how it knew you would be the perfect choice for what we need to do. But I trust it to have made the right decision.  
As for what we need to do... well that's a very long story stretching back over 10,000 years and will take all day to tell you I think it will better to tell you the story in a few weeks time once your pain goes away and your minds become clear."

"Anyway we haven't introduced ourselves yet. I already know your names; one of you goes by the name of Bruce and the other Lucas."  
Both were surprised at this.  
"Yeh I'm Lucas" he stammered, "but how did you know?"  
"You've said each other's names several times in my presence, I'm a dragon I'm not deaf.  
Anyway my dragon name is Mottaker  
And my friend hear is Makt. She was the one who threw the flame of power at you, turning you into what you are now.

"She" questioned Lucas. Realising the other dragon was yet to speak earning a firm "yes" from the female dragon.  
Bruce thought carefully about what Mottaker had just said.  
"What do you mean by your dragon names, you mean to say you have other names."?  
"That's part of our long story, we will tell you, but as I've said that's for another time.  
"Anyway, you need to eat so let's get started" continued Mottaker.

The two dragons first put an upturned lid in front of Lucas and Bruce. Then helping each other, they poured half the water in each lid, followed by the fish, which had been de-boned, and ripped into small pieces by Mottaker and Makt.  
"It's so you can digest it better" said Mottaker "in a few weeks you will be able to eat fish whole, bones included. But for now with your fragile newly made stomachs this is all you can digest. And don't worry if don't like the idea of eating raw fish, as I've already said it's only your memories and personality that are the same. Things like your sense of taste are of a dragons now, and not influenced by your old body's.

Starting at Lucas, the 2 dragons then picked up the upturned bin lid in their mouths and told Lucas to just swallow as it won't need chewing, then slowly poured it into his open mouth letting him gulp down the watery fishy mixture at his own leisure.  
Lucas liked fish but Mottaker was right he noticed and new edge to the common flavour of fish.  
the two full sized dragons then did the same to Bruce. Who didn't normally like fish and hadn't eaten any in years, but Mottaker was right the raw fish tasted very nice.  
Despite bodily chemicals taking away most of the pain in order for the two friends to eat. it took a long time both took about 20 minutes each to swallow the food they have been given

Once they were finished Mottaker put one bucket inside the other to gather more water and fish leaving the dustbin lids.

He looked back down to the two newly transformed dragons  
"I know exactly how you feel right now" Mottaker told them in a soft, concerned manor. "I know you hate me, I know you don't trust me and I know you also just want to be turned back to what you were. That unfortunately is imposable. Even the life force couldn't do something like that. And lastly I know scared you are, you're not showing it but I know you both are."

"How can you possibly know" Bruce said rather angrily.  
"Because both I and Makt were once human too, Makt has been a dragon for only about 2 years. But me, I've been a dragon for over a thousand years, but I can still remember how scared I was as a child when I was transformed."

"You were once human,... Over 1000 years ago" Bruce said, astonished.  
"Yes" came the simple reply.

Mottaker picked up the 2 buckets and left the alcove  
Makt stayed and looked at the Lucas and Bruce the two friends may have only been dragons for a few days. And only been awake for a couple of hours. But they recognized pity when they saw it.  
Don't worry she said softly everything will get better soon enough.  
With that the second dragon left the alcove.

It took a long time for the friends to fall back asleep, almost every feeling anybody (or anything) can feel was going through their heads.  
They were scared and apprehensive about what the future held.  
Hate toward the two dragons who had done this to them.  
And hate towards whatever the life force was for choosing them, if it even existed.  
They were in a lot of pain from the transformation and from talking and eating. Despair that the dragon had said that going back to being humans is imposable. They didn't know whether to believe Mottaker or not, but it was still very worrying.  
They were even glad in some ways that what they were going through... Whatever they were going through. They were doing it together.

 **A/N Everything I've said about the mines under Norwich, Norfolk, and Suffolk are true. Google it if you like, there's pictures online and yes I have been down them all myself.**

 **The 3 I talked about are.  
Rosary road.  
Harford hills.  
And Newmarket road. (Where this one takes place)  
There's also one on Earlham road which a bus fell into on the 3 March 1988 (look it up it's a fantastic picture.) that one however was filled up with expanding foam concrete to stop further collapses, which is what caused the bus to fall in.**

 **Norwich's city motto is: "Norwich a fine city" and to say it is riddled with tunnels is no understatement, hence the title of this chapter.**

 **Bury st Edmunds is named after king Edmund of East Anglia, who was killed in the year 869. (No I haven't mistyped that) By the Vikings (yes the real Vikings) when they invaded.  
The word bury however, is Germanic in origin and meant fort or castle. **

**There are however many villages throughout the county whose names originate from Old Norse. Even the Norfolk dialect itself has some perculialitys that can be traced back to Old Norse.**


	4. The days turn into weeks

**The days turn into weeks.**

 **(A/N oops there was some words here that I should have taken out.)**

The first week was the worst thing that Bruce and Lucas had ever experienced.

Their 20 hour long sleeps were restless, they were in a permanent state of never quite asleep but never quite awake.  
The slightest movement would send sharp shooting pain throughout their body's waking them up and more often than not just as sleep began to take its hold again a slight twitch would wake them up again, and the process would continue again and again until eventually hunger and thirst would fully wake them up.

Mottaker and Makt took turns to keep an ear out for the two friends.  
They would lay just round the corner from where the smaller dragons were sleeping so they would know when they woke up. Which was now always at night.  
Not that the two friends knew that.  
Then, under the cover of night Mottaker and Makt would get them each a bucket of water from a nearby stream and slowly pour it in their mouths, before flying out to sea to fish.

Bass and Tope were the most common fish they brought back.  
They would then tear the fish up and mix the fish with water before giving the mixture to Bruce and Lucas, who would painfully swallow it as the now normal, and tasty fish and water mixture was slowly poured into their mouths.

The rest of their waking hours were spent laying mostly in silence.  
They would occasionally talk about what their parents would be going through, and their fears and worries for the future now that they lay, almost helpless, down an old chalk mine. Somehow having been transformed into dragons. Something they still couldn't get their head around properly.  
On the most part however talking was far too painful and they were far too exhausted to talk much anyway.

Towards the end of that first week, the two newly transformed dragons started to get more and more undisturbed sleep as their pain slowly subsided. Their new dragon bodies slowly healing, and finishing off the process that Makt had started.

On the seventh day, (not including those first few days spent unconscious) they both got a good 3 hours of undisturbed sleep.

It was on the eleventh day when the bucket of fresh stream water was put down in front of Lucas that he said he would try to drink it himself. Mottaker, who had taken Lucas his bucket, told him how he should make a bowl shape with the back of his tongue and lap it up.  
With pain equivalent to a very sore stiff neck and without standing up, Lucas then moved his head close to the bucket and began lapping up the water. It didn't take long for him to learn exactly how to position his tongue to get the most water with each lap, and in less than 5 minutes the bucket was empty.

Not to be outdone, Bruce said he should probably try it now Lucas had done it  
Makt moved the bucket closer to Bruce.  
He soon got the knack for lapping up the water too and finished in about the same amount of time as Lucas.

When the two older dragons came back from fishing, with full stomachs and full buckets Bruce and Lucas also slowly ate the food themselves. They were told to suck the soft mixture into their mouths and then swallow. This action seemed to be hard wired into their brains as they didn't even have to concentrate on what they were doing.  
Bruce always was a fast eater and finished his first.

For the next week their painful limbs slowly stopped hurting as much as they had done. Until about one week after they first fed themselves, while Mottaker and Makt were out fishing they both decided to stand up.  
the fire that Mottaker set up when the two friends awoke about 2 hours earlier, had turned into glowing red hot embers. Despite this, Bruce and Lucas could still see each other fairly well, mostly thanks to their excellent night vision.

It was Bruce who suggested they should try it saying, that like their necks and heads. Once they started using their legs the pain and stiffness might subside quicker.  
Lucas was reluctant at first but after Bruce had slowly stood up Lucas quickly followed, although he also stood up slowly.  
They spent about 5 minutes stretching and moving their legs their front two replacing their arms.  
They were very unsteady and off balance, both almost fell over several times. And soon the sudden exertion got the better of them, and they lay back down.  
When the two other dragons arrived, the friends told them what they had done, and elected to try and eat their food standing up. Which they were told would be much better for their insides anyway.  
It was very painful, but they both somehow managed it.  
Mottaker and Makt congratulated them on this small milestone.

Due to getting better sleep they were awake for about 8 hours each night.  
Because of this they found out something peculiar about their new brains,  
they could stay awake and alert for hours while doing nothing, without getting board.

Neither of them could lay down and do nothing, at all not even talk for more than an hour before they were transformed.  
But now they could go into an almost trance like state for hours on end, but feeling like no more than an hour had passed.

Another benefit of their healthier sleeping patterns was Mottaker and Makt no longer took turns keeping an ear out for them, instead, they left them to the privacy they needed at such a difficult time.

Now when Mottaker and Makt woke up they would first fly to the nearby stream and take a long drink before flying back to the chalk quarry and the mine that was hidden in one corner, each carrying the two smaller dragons buckets leaving them outside to their alcove as they passed. Before resting for several hours until they grew hungry enough.  
Then they would go to Bruce and Lucas's alcove asking if they were ready to eat. The two full grown dragons also carrying that day's firewood.  
With Bruce and Lucas not having eaten for the same period of time as the larger dragons, the answer was always a profound yes.


	5. Echolocation

**Echolocation.**

It was the perfect place to both live in secrecy, and care for the newly transformed dragons.  
The good fishing grounds were only about half an hour away, the nearby stream provided plenty of fresh water, and the quarry itself was roughly circular, about 1,300 feet in diameter, and 60 foot deep, perfect for teaching the transformed dragons how to fly.  
And best of all despite being just on the outskirts of Norwich it was almost in the middle of nowhere. And the outer edge was surrounded by tall mature trees which would help hide the flying dragons.

Mottaker and Makt didn't know the quarry was a,  
'site of special scientific interest' (SSSI) and access was forbidden without permission.  
Bruce and Lucas however did know when they had climbed the 10 foot fence so they could go into the quarry, and down the mine 3 or 4 years previous.  
All Mottaker and Makt knew was, it was very secluded, with little chance of someone accidently noticing them. And when they has scoured the quarry for any sigh of humans by scent they found nothing, nor did they find anything in the surrounding woodland.

A lot happened in the following week.  
The next day while the older dragons were again fishing, Bruce convinced Lucas to experiment with their wings and tails. Making the same arguments he had when suggesting to stand up.  
Taking turns they slowly and painfully unfolded their wings and experimented moving the various bones inside them, that moved their wings into the different shapes needed for flying. They also both moved their tail fins and sub fins about again experimenting the different shapes they could be moved into.  
It was a strange feeling, the new muscles they were moving didn't feel new or feel like they shouldn't have been there like one might imagine. Instead they felt natural like they had always been there. And they didn't need to concentrate to move these new appendages about, they just somehow knew. Although the new appendages didn't feel strange in themselves, the very act of moving them about certainly did.

They were just beginning to lay back down when they heard the familiar sound of claws on the steel gates.  
The friends assumed the larger dragons had simply knocked them down to gain entry to the mine.

The pair again congratulated them on their progress, and went on to tell them that after this week they could slowly start eating whole fish, small ones to begin with and only a few at a time.  
They ate their watery fish mixture and were soon asleep,  
experimenting with new appendages was both very tiring and painful.

Two days after in the pitch black before Makt had even put that days firewood down, Bruce asked how they managed to navigate and see in the pitch back tunnels.  
After the fire was lit Mottaker went on to explain, they had been there for 6 months. Or half the cycle of earths seasons as he put it, before they found the two friends and they had it memorised, but went on to explain about the Night Furys ability of echolocation. He showed them a particular guttural roar, which for a change sounded like a roar. And told them that each dragon needs to use a slight variation of that roar, and that no dragon can see another's echolocation vision.

When Mottaker and Makt had gone out to sea, the two friends walked out into the tunnel, and faced away from their little alcove, and themselves, towards the pitch black tunnel.  
They and practiced for an hour trying to make the same kind of noise Mottaker had shown them, neither were successful.  
Neither were they successful the day after.

when they had finished eating, Makt showed them what hears sounded like.  
It was of a much lower pitch than Mottaker's, they hadn't even tried that low. They didn't think there could be that much difference.

The next day while the two older dragons were out fishing. The two new dragons again walked into the main tunnel, and tried to find their echolocation roar. This time using a far greighter range of pitch than they had the previous times.  
Both were growing tired and starting to believe that Mottaker and Makt were simply lying to them, Bruce especially. When suddenly Lucas excitedly announced that he saw something.  
Bruce congratulated him and told him to practice some more. But gave up himself and went back into the alcove.

The next day Bruce succeeded in creating echolocation for himself, and for the rest of that day, and that week when Mottaker and Makt were out fishing Bruce and Lucas would practice.

After a week of this they believed their echolocation was close to perfect.  
They had a small argument whether they should tell Mottaker and Makt about their improving echolocation.

Lucas argued that they shouldn't trust them, and they should keep a few secrets just in case.  
Bruce argued, that if Mottaker really was over 1000 years old. He wouldn't be stupid, and would likely know . Putting strain on his trust.  
Bruce also mentioned that because the other two dragons could use echolocation anyway it wouldn't be much of an advantage.  
Lucas grudgingly agreed and when Mottaker and Makt brought them their food they told them.

After they had eaten, Mottaker asked them to follow him up the tunnel. They had been a little nervous at first, but a few kind words from Makt got them on their way. They followed him and Makt to a bend in the mine.  
They knew the bend was there, both has seen it with their echolocation. They had just never been further than just outside their alcove, walking and standing were still reasonably painful.

Neither had used their echolocation yet, as up until the bend the very shape of that section of tunnel was burned into their minds.

What they found interesting was that as they walked along, they could visualise themselves walking down that particular section. As if they could see with their eyes, not simply knowing where something was. Like they would with doors, tables, and stairs when walking around their houses in the pitch black when they were humans.

When they rounded the bend they learnt a tiny bit more about their echolocation.  
They saw nothing but blackness, and to their surprise they instinctively used their echolocation call, and found, that despite the older dragons standing in front of them. They could see through them. They were almost like ghosts to the image they got back. They also found the image didn't disappear like they were expecting, but instead, slowly faded.

Mottaker then asked them to describe the tunnel that was in front of them, and to tell him the location of small details.

One at a time they called again, and described the tunnel that lay in front of them to Mottaker. Who concluded that they were right there was little improvement they could make.

 **A/N I've decided it might be best of I were to have a beta reader...Any volunteers.  
Thanks. **


	6. Finding the truth

**Finding the truth.**

 **A/N I've decided it might be best if I were to have a beta reader...Any volunteers.  
Thanks.**

Mottaker suggested that they should now think about exploring the mine, now that they could see where they were going. He told them not to worry about getting lost, the mine wasn't massive. There was only about half a mile of tunnels.  
For the first time, Bruce told the older dragons that he, and Lucas had in fact been in the mine several years ago. Before the steel cage was put in place. And that they knew it was hard to get lost in the mine.  
A surprised Mottaker then told the newly transformed dragons that the night after next. He and Makt would be out of the mine all night, and that would be the perfect opportunity for Bruce and Lucas. (Who by this time had found out from the pair they were now awake during the night.) To stretch their limbs a bit more than just in their alcove.  
The older dragons had no real plans for that night. They just knew that Bruce and Lucas were more likely to explore their surroundings if they knew Mottaker and Makt weren't nearby.

Bruce and Lucas were of coarse still not on good terms with the older dragons, simply on a level of understanding. They needed them to survive. They both still had rage simmering underneath their calm exteriors, and Mottaker knew it.  
He was right, Bruce and Lucas would never have a look around if there was a chance of bumping into them.

Bruce and Lucas hadn't been awake for long when they heard the familiar sound of claws on the steel gates that used to seal the entrance.  
They had been content with their own thoughts until then. But when they heard the older dragons leaving they got up, and stretched in the main tunnel where there was more room.  
They found a bucket of water each, which they drunk out of before taking a walk around the half mile long network of twisting tunnel, and passageway.

They talked about lots of things.  
How their families were coping. And guessed at that their families thought had happened. (They had no idea of the destruction left in the wake of their transformation.)  
They wondered if the dragons had been seen carrying them away.  
But by far the biggest convocation they had, was the fear of what was ahead.

They still didn't know what the two dragons wanted with them, they were angry that it had happened to them, angry that they didn't have the answers.  
They both wanted to rip the older dragons throats out for what they had done, Lucas especially. But Bruce again reminded him of their predicament, they were as good as dead without the two other dragons.

And Bruce had thought of another reason to stay in the larger dragons good books.  
They didn't 100% believe Mottaker when he said they couldn't be turned back into humans.  
Eventually they found themselves walking past their alcove towards the entrance 20 metres and several tight turns away.

when they rounded the last bend, and walked up to, what was left of the steel cage that once sealed the entrance. They came face to face with how powerful their fire could be.  
Mottaker had briefly told them how it isn't like other dragons, but a concentrated ball of energy. But what he had done to the cage was amazing.

The cage was built to resist people with petrol grinders trying to gain access. But Mottaker's blast had broken, bent and warped a piece of steel I beam. And all the inch and two inch thick pieces of steel that connected to it, like they were made of butter. Everything was bent inwards towards the mouth of the mine, and it was clear the damage was done in a single shot.

They climbed onto the remains of the steel cage and out into the crater like quarry.

They were amazed at what their new eyes could see in the dark.  
There was only a sliver of moon in the sky, yet the brightness was similar to walking into a room with the curtains drawn, after being outside on a bright sunny day.  
But the autumn colours of the trees and bushes, and the white of the chalk that made up the ground and walls of the quarry were very dull, almost like seeing in black and white.

But unlike their human vision in the dark, everything was sharp and the shadows were somehow dull.  
They quickly realised that their long distance vision was much better.

On the other side of the quarry there was a lime kiln, surrounded by a modern chain link fence. Another attempt to stop people getting in.  
Despite the kiln being about 400 meters away,they could see each individual triangle of the chain link fence. They could see each individual leaf of ivy and bindweed. And even at that distance, individual blades of grass.  
They were both speechless.  
They had been briefly told their vision would be much better as a dragon, but nothing could have prepared them for how good it actually was.

as they walked out into the quarry, they noticed something strange about their vision.  
There were 3 very thin, very faint, white/grey lines super imposed upon their vision. Whichever way they turned, or looked they would point the same way. They were both mystified by this.

Bruce looked up at the edge of the quarry absentmindedly and was sure he saw something quickly move away from the edge.

Bruce decided to see how much him and his friend could trust the two dragons.

He quietly told his plan to Lucas. It involved Lucas climbing up one of the sloped sides of the quarry, onto a small ledge half way up and pretending to attempt to fly. Something Mottaker had told them not to do the night before, when he and Makt had taken them their buckets of fish.

as Lucas started scrambling up to the ledge, Bruce looked over to where he last saw movement. A sly smile spreading across his face.  
Lucas reached the ledge, and just as he opened his wings he watched with a smirk as Mottaker followed his friend flew from the edge over to them.  
Mottaker landed on the small ledge next to Lucas, while Makt landed on the ground close to Bruce.  
Mottaker did not look best pleased.

"I thought I told you not to try to fly." Anger easily detectable on his voice.  
Lucas retaliated. "And I thought you said you would be out at sea all day."

Mottaker admitted he never planned to go out to sea. But to just stay out of their way for the day, to give them some space and peace. He explained that when Lucas had tried to fly, he had to stop them before Lucas hurt himself.

Lucas snapped.  
"What do you care. You go on and on about the some 'life force' and 'the power' and that we are part of some _prophecy_. And you expect us to believe all this, as far as I can see you want us to be your slaves. Or to do some horrid experiments to us 'transformed' humans."

Before he could say any more Mottaker had bent down to his level looked into his eyes and said calmly, but firmly.

"That is not true, we do care for you. Through no fault of your own, you have no idea the risks we are putting ourselves through doing this. If we didn't care for you and if the prophecy was some lie, then we wouldn't be doing this."

"My mate is right." Bruce scowled at Mottaker.  
"You tell us all these things, but bring no proof. You tell us that were special and chosen out of the billions of humans. But this life force doesn't come to back up your claims. You said that you would tell us the full story when we were better able to process such information, without the headaches clouding everything up. But we've been headache free for ages now, and yet we still haven't heard a thing out of you. I think were long overdue an explanation."

Mottaker bowed his head in shame.  
"I'm sorry...you're... you're right. You need to know. But there is not enough time now. We will get you your fish now, and we will eat again once we wake up tomorrow. Then I will tell you everything.  
I'm truly sorry, I should have told you sooner."

"I don't want your apologies." Lucas spat.  
"I want to know what is going on. And I don't want to know tomorrow either"

"Lucas." Bruce interrupted. Lucas turned to look at his friend.

"Let it be for now mate, he's said he will tell us everything tomorrow when we wake up."

He turned to face Mottaker, a look of total disgust on his face

"Let's see what they have to say for themselves then." Bruce spat.

He faced his friend again, smiled and in a bright cheery voice said.  
"Coming."  
And walked off towards the mine again. The older dragons let Lucas climb down from the ledge and let the pair walk back into the mine alone.

They had grown somewhat in those few weeks about a foot in length and had filled out a little too. they had decided, while exploring the mine that they needed a larger alcove.  
They found one further up the tunnel than their old one, but still closer to the entrance than the 'other' dragon's alcove.

They sat in silence, both thinking the same things. What on earth is going on. And are they trustworthy.

A long, quiet wait later Mottaker and Makt gave them their fish. They each got 5 whole pieces, although they weren't very big. They ate in silence and without discomfort before laying down to sleep.

Sometime later Bruce asked his friend if was still awake, he was.  
He went on to say.  
"You know those lines we saw when we were outside."  
"Mmmm." Came Lucas's lazy reply.  
"I know where they were pointing."  
He saw Lucas open his eyes in interest, frowning as he did so.  
"They were pointing north and south."  
"Meaning what exactly."  
"Its how lots of birds, and clearly dragons, navigate." Bruce replied with a smile


	7. 10,000 years of history

**10,000 years of history.**

The two new dragons awoke early that evening. Lucas arose first, and quickly woke his friend Bruce, before they made their way to the bigger dragons alcove.

As they walked in Mottaker sent out a small fireball, setting a small pile of wood alight so they could see. With the sudden burst of light Makt awoke with a jump.

"Hello." Mottaker said kindly.  
"Now I know you want everything right this second, but it's a very long story, and I'm sure you can understand we should eat first."  
He looked at his friend, who looked like she could still do with a few more hours sleep. After a few seconds they both got up and walked away to get some much needed substance.

Lucas stared at the entrance to the alcove, shaking his head, muttering some rather obscene words.  
They both laid down to wait for the other dragons.

What felt like about 5 hours later, but was in reality was much sooner. Mottaker and Makt came back each carrying a familiar bucket of torn up and whole fish.

While the two younger dragons ate their meal, the older dragons decided to go off to collect some more firewood, they had just finished eating when the pair walked back in with the extra wood.

"Is that it." Lucas burst out.  
"Or is there any other delays for you to invent"

"No, this is it I will tell you now. lay down and get comfy, as I said this is a long story."

He closed his eyes, clearly gathering his thoughts.  
He breathed a deep sigh and began.

"To start, I think I will tell you what kind of dragons you are. Humans, called us Night Furies. Other dragons call us various names, but Black or Dark hunters is the most common, I think.

Unlike any other type of dragon we hunt Purely at night. Our eyes are unmatched in the darkness and our body shape is perfect for diving down on groups of fish stunning them with our powerful fire and then eating them once they float to the surface."  
"so that's how you've been catching fish" interrupted Bruce  
"I _was_ wondering how you did that"

"yes" Mottaker replied. "although it's one of the hardest manuveres to pull off, and so is one of the last things I will teach you. The main problem is pulling up at the right height too high and you won't stun the fish properly too low and you will crash into the water.  
That's fatal,  
you can't fly out of water.

Now our story starts some 10,000 years ago.  
Back then the northern ice covered huge parts of the Earth, it is said that dragons were everywhere back then and free nests were plentiful.

Something you should know is all nests need an alpha these dragons are massive and so are their nests the huge amounts of body head created mean one thing, these nests must be in very cold places otherwise we overheat

but 10,000 years ago there was what we call the great thaw  
huge amounts of this ice melted and the nests along with all the dragons had to move North

There are 2 types of alphas; one is peaceful, and a kind leader and the other...well not so much, they control their dragons by the power of their mind alone.

as more and more dragons moved North less and less space was available for the larger nests.  
So inevitably there was fighting.

Dragon against dragon;  
Alpha against alpha;  
Nest against nest.

Many stories exist that tell of the horrors of these fights, but that is a story for another day.  
It is said that this massacre went on for about two thousand years and by the end there was less than 10 alpha nests overall.  
The sheer distances between these alphas meant some couldn't find mates and unfortunately some died without ever giving the single clutch of one or two eggs they normally would before their death.

So without an alpha the nests would break apart forcing dragons to the other remaining nests. Eventually a long period of time came where everything was fine; dragons and alphas were reproducing although unfortunately the number of alphas didn't rise at all.  
So everything with the dragons was back to normal.

But With the low numbers of alphas to be found, nests were as packed as ever. And so, fights are inevitable. with these high numbers alphas had a harder time than ever keeping the order, but it was not completely impossible the night furies found their place helping the alphas control the nest. It became our job for many years to help lead the nest and help get our fellow nest mates out of trouble.

When humans made their way North they brought with them livestock,  
apart from a certain alpha species no dragon could stand the taste of them.

And this is where the problems started. At first it just started with a little raid here and there when the alpha fancied something a bit different, but soon other alphas discovered the humans livestock.

the raids became more and more frequent and more and more dragons lost their lives because the humans started inventing better and better ways of protecting themselves...And killing us. Many thousands of dragons were killed this way and over the next few thousand years some nests were slowly emptied of all their dragons. Their alphas had became lazy and forgotten how to hunt propally, So when the nest finally became completely empty the alpha also died from starvation.

"That's terrible" mumbled Bruce, shaking his head at the same time.

Mottaker carried on.  
"Night Furys, like the alphas lay very few eggs. For us its normally only 3-4 every 10 years, while all the other dragon species lay at least 2 or more a year.  
We think this is because of our extraordinary long life spans. Just like the alpha dragons we can, and I have, lived for thousands of years.

"Of all this rubbish you keep telling us" Lucas blurted out "That is the biggest lie of all.  
You really expect us to believe you're that old.  
"I can prove it." Mottaker calmly replied.  
Both Bruce and Lucas frowned.

"many years ago I went on a flight across the world in an attempt to find more dragons.  
I remember this country well, and this flat boggy area you live in is unmistakeable. when I flew over your city at high altitude there was two building that I recognized. The large square building on the hill was mostly complete when I flew over, the other was long and thin the walls barley a few feet high. That one now has a very tall tower on it.  
"That will be the church and cathedral" Bruce said matter-of-factly.  
"And how long ago was this then" Lucas snarled.  
"About 900 I believe." Came the calm reply.  
Unbeknown to Lucas, Bruce had started to smile.  
"HA" shouted Lucas, neither of them buildings are that old.  
But Mottaker looked at Bruce very purposefully, Lucas did too and frowned at his smiling friend  
"Bruce?" He asked, frowning.  
Bruce scanned the alcove looking at all the other dragons, Makt looked suddenly interested having not heard this part of the story before.

Speaking calmly, Bruce said. "The castle, that square building was started in the late 1060's. Certainly after 1066 because it was William who had it built.  
And the cathedral was started sometime in the 1090's. So yes, 900 years ago the castle would have been almost done and the cathedral only a few feet above ground level.

Nobody said anything. but Lucas looked thoughtful.

"Anyway this is where our species problems begin.  
As dragons started to make their attacks on the humans more and more complex. The humans weaponry also improved and became even more complicated.  
So us night furies decided to start concentrating on all the big dangerous targets first, net throwers and massive stone throwers that sort of stuff. But needless to say this was dangerous work, and within a few hundred years our numbers had gone from hundreds or possibly thousands to just one...a single lone night fury.

It was unfortunate that during the fighting and separations after the great thaw several species sadly died out, but the life force didn't want to see that happen again. So she went to the last night fury and gave him the gift to change one human into a night fury.  
However, it had to be a human due to similarities between their brains and ours. and the gift once laid couldn't be taken back or reversed.

She told him that she would tell him, when the time was right and who it was that he had to transform.  
And in the parting words she gave him the unfortunate news that she was doing this because he was the last of his species.  
Since he had been brainwashed by the alpha to hate humans he of course didn't like the idea of transforming one into a magnificent night fury, he argued the idea, but she told him how the alpha had brainwashed him into the wrong mindset in order to do it's bidding and that some humans really aren't that bad.  
The life force then proceeded to tell him the location of a free nest and instructed him to go there and wait for her.  
when he arrived there he slowly began to realized that all his life living in the other nest he had been lied to, and it took him a long time to come to terms with that.

During his time in the free nest he was safe. years came and went before he saw the life force again.

When she finally arrived at the free nest she told him where and how to find this boy whom she had chosen to receive the gift. just as she did with you, she told the dragon to gain his trust and friendship to insure she had made the right choice. So over the course of several days he did as the life force said and befriended the human and eventually made the transformation.

even after all these years I'm still not sure if that was the best or worst day of my life ,but it was certainly the most important.

As I've told you it was a while before I started to think of myself as a dragon, not a transformed human. And even longer before I started seeing him as a friend.

Bruce frowned "did he not have a name."  
"Of Corse he did, did I not tell you." Bruce and Lucas shook their heads.  
"No you didn't" Makt said kindly, smiling as she spoke.

"Oh, well oops. You will have to hang on a minute or so first all this talking is making me thirsty. I need a drink."

 _A/N So who do you think Mottaker is then, let's hear you guesses.  
Some of you may have noticed the strange way I've described the alpha dragons, this is no mistake.  
The tiny history lesson on Norwich's cathedral and castle is 100% correct and accurate, they really are that old._

 _ **Massive thanks to my beta, Drago Nightwing.**_


End file.
